Dripless fluid spray apparatus

ABSTRACT

In order to provide ventless fluid spray apparatus with a substantially instantaneous, and hence dripless, cutoff characteristic, a pliable container of normally circular cross section, which may be distorted to force fluid contained therein through a nozzle, is encompasses by a resilient band which constrains the container to quickly reassume its normal shape after the distorting pressure is released.

United States Patent [72] Inventors LincolnJ.Gruber 6902 Big Bear Drive;Mark O'Malley, 3256 East F itth St., both of Tucson, 8571 l [21] Appl.No. 813,008

[22] Filed Apr. 3, 1969 [45] Patented June8,197l

[54] DRIPLESS FLUID SPRAY APPARATUS 5 Claims, 3 Drawing Figs.

[52] US. Cl 222/92, ISO/.5, 222/213, 222/215, 239/327, 239/327 [51] Int.Cl B65d 35/00 [50] Field ofSearch 220/71; ISO/.5; 222/213 X, 215 X, 92;230/169 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,852,046 4/1932Eicken 239/356 2,538,684 1/1951 Gushard et al.. 215/l.5 2,622,64512/1952 Pfleumer ISO/.SX FOREIGN PATENTS 462,425 1/1950 Canada 222/92Primary ExaminerLloyd L. King Att0rney-Drummond, Cahill & PhillipsABSTRACT: In order to provide ventless fluid spray apparatus with asubstantially instantaneous, and hence dripless, cutofi characteristic,a pliable container of normally circular cross section, which may bedistorted to force fluid contained therein through a nozzle, isencompasses by a resilient band which constrains the container toquickly reassume its normal shape after the distorting pressure isreleased.

mama] Jun slsn INVENTOR. LINCOLN J. GRUBEH MARK O MALLEY ATTORNEYSDRIPLESS FLUID SPRAY APPARATUS This invention relates to fluiddispensing and, more particularly, to spray apparatus adapted to force afluid through one or more apertures in response to distortion of thefluids container.

Relatively small refillable containers, such as those utilized fordispensing herbicides, insecticides, fungicides, and other liquidmaterials, are typically provided with a dispenser of the plunger typewhich may be removed in order to refill the container. Removabledispensers of this and comparable types are subject to severalobjections; viz.: they must be sold to the consumer separated from thefluid container and thus are subject to breakage and loss, they requirea vent and consequently are not as simple in construction as might bedesirable, and the force with which the fluid can be dispensed isdecidedly limited.

It is known in the art to utilize a pliable container in combinationwith a ventless dispenser which may comprise simply one or more suitablyshaped apertures. The fluid may be dispensed by tilting the containeruntil the liquid level is above the apertures and distorting thecontainer such that the consequent decrease in volume forcible expelsthe fluid through the apertures. Prior art spray apparatus of this typeprovide acceptable control over direction and force of the expelledfluid, but they have uniformly suffered from a serious drawback. Thisdrawback may best be illustrated by a brief example. Assuming that sprayapparatus of this type is being utilized to dispense a herbicide throughselective spot spraying with the intent that undesirable plants in closeproximity to desirable plants are to be treated, the user will quicklydiscover that he is unable to change his target from one undesirableplant to another without subjecting adjacent desirable plants to acertain amount of the herbicide. The reason for this uncontrolleddistribution of a herbicide lies in the inability of the user to cut offthe flow of the herbicide from the spray apparatus cleanly and quicklyand without drip.

From the foregoing, it will be manifest that it would be highlydesirable to provide spray apparatus combining the simplicity of simplydistorting the container to provide the fluid impelling force with meansfor achieving substantially instantaneous cutoff with minimum dripping.

It is, therefore, a broad object of this invention to provide improvedspray apparatus.

It is more specific object of this invention to provide improved sprayapparatus to the type in which the fluid-expelling force is achieved bydistorting the container.

It is yet another object of this invention to provide a pliablecontainer including means for forcibly returning the container to itsnormal shape when the distorting force is removed.

These and other objects of the invention are achieved by encompassing apliable container with one or more resilient bands which function toconstrain the pliable container toward its undistorted shape.

The subject matter of the invention is particularly pointed out anddistinctly claimed in the concluding portion of the specification. Theinvention, however, both as to organization and method of operation, maybest be understood by reference to the following description taken inconnection with the accompanying drawing of which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a container illustrating a single bandembodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the container of FIG. 1 taken alongthe lines 2-2; and

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a container illustrating a multiple bandembodiment of the invention.

Referring now to FIG. 1, a container 1 is illustrated which includes abody 2 and a detachable dispenser 3. The detachable dispenser 3. Thedetachable dispenser 3 may be secured to the container body 2 by screwthreads or any other convenient means. A cap member 4 for the detachabledispenser 3 is shown in FIG. 1 for illustrative purposes only. Theconstruction of the detachable dispenser 3 is subject to manymodifications within the contemplation of the invention inasmuch as itsprincipal office is merely to provide apertures through which fluid maybe forced in the manner to be more fully described below.

The body 2 of the container 1 includes a pliable portion 5 adapted tomanually distorted from its normally circular cross section. It has beenfound that a suitable material for the body 2 is polyethylene and thatthe pliable portion 5 may be attained by using a somewhat thinner wallthan the adjacent, stiffer portions.

A resilient band 6, composed of a material such as spring steel, rubber,plastic, or the like tightly encompasses the pliable portion 5 of thebody 2 as shown in the perspective view of FIG. 1 and the correspondingcross-sectional view of FIG. 2. The function of the resilient band 6will be more readily understood from an appreciation of the manner inwhich the container is used to spray fluid in a controlled direction andwith a controlled force. The container 1 is tilted until the apertures 7of the detachable dispenser 3 are beneath the level of the fluid. Thepliable portion 5 of the container is then manually distorted from itsnormally circular cross section. As is well known in the physical arts,a container of a predetermined height and a circular cross section willdefine a greater volume than a container of the same predeterminedheight ex-. hibiting a cross section other than circular. That is, eventhough the cross-sectional perimeter may be the same in both instances,the circular cross section will define the greatest area. Thus, when thepliable portion 5 of the container 1 is distorted, the internal volumeis decreased resulting in an expelling force which forces the fluidthrough the apertures 7 of the detachable dispenser 3.

Assuming, for purposes of illustration, that the cohfainer 1 was notfitted with the resilient band 6, the pliable portion 5 would slowlyreassume its normal circular cross section at a rate in accordance withits elasticity. However, in order to insure that the pliable portion 5may be easily distorted, its return to the normal circular cross sectionwill be relatively slow such that fluid will continue to flow throughthe apertures 7 at a gradually decreasing rate until pressureequilibrium is reached between atmospheric and the interior of thecontainer 1 after the distorting force is removed. The unavoidableresult is to waste a certain amount of the fluid which may fall intoareas in which it may bring about a decidedly undesirable effect.

The use of the resilient band 6 overcomes this inherent defeet by urgingthe pliable portion 5 toward its normally circular cross section at agreatly increased rate once the distorting pressure has been relieved.The result is a sudden increase in volume within the container 1 with acommensurate decrease in pressure which may fall below atmospheric. Thepressure differential existing across the apertures 7 forciblyinterrupts the flow of the fluid through the apertures and therebycauses the desired cleanly controlled cutoff.

The characteristics and number of resilient bands required to achievethe necessary control will vary somewhat in accordance with thecharacteristics of the container and its contemplated use. Thus, by wayof example, the container 8 of FIG. 3 utilizes a plurality of resilientbands 6 because the pliable portion 5 comprises practically the whole ofthe containers height. For certain conditions, a single resilient band,wider than those illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 3, may be utilized to securethe desired cutoff function when the height of the pliable portion 5 isrelatively extensive such as it is with the container 8 of FIG. 3.Additionally, it has been found that the resilient bands may be integralwith the container when a material is utilized which exhibits elasticcharacteristics sufficient to provide the restorative force capable ofachieving the substantially instantaneous cutoff required.

While the principles of the invention have now been made clear in anillustrative embodiment, there will be immediately obvious to thoseskilled in the art many modifications of structure, arrangement,proportions, the elements, materials, and components, used in thepractice of the invention which are particularly adapted for specificenvironments and operating requirements without departing from thoseprinciples.

2. The container of claim 1 which includes at least one additionalresilient band having a normally circular periphery tightly encompassingsaid body about said pliable portion.

3 The container of claim 1 in which said resilient band is composed ofsteel.

4. The container of claim 3 in which said resilient band encompassessubstantially the whole of said pliable portion of said body.

5. The container of claim 1 in which said dispenser is detachablysecured to said body.

1. A container for directionally dispensing fluid comprising: a. a body,said body including a pliable portion of sufficient rigidity to assume anormally circular cross section; b. a dispenser, said dispenser havingat least one aperture such that fluid in said container and in directcommunication with said aperture is forced through said aperture whensaid pliable portion is distorted from its normal circular crosssection; and c. a resilient band having a normally circular peripherytightly encompassing said body about said pliable portion.
 2. Thecontainer of claim 1 which includes at least one additional resilientband having a normally circular periphery tightly encompassing said bodyabout said pliable portion.
 3. The container of claim 1 in which saidresilient band is composed of steel.
 4. The container of claim 3 inwhich said resilient band encompasses substantially the whole of saidpliable portion of said body.
 5. The container of claim 1 in which saiddispenser is detachably secured to said body.